I would have prepared myself better mentally

Fri, 6/28/24-Recovery.

Ran 2.3M in 19:00.

Lifted at the fitness center.

Ran back home .7M in 5:30

Thurs, 6/27/24-West Chester Henderson meet. 87 degrees with a slight breeze and some humidity, though not oppressive.

I arrived at WC Henderson at about 5:20 for the 6:00 meet, with my event, the 800m, scheduled for 6:40ish. I had a few pleasantries with Kevin Kelly. After paying the entry fee, I sat around for about 20 minutes, some of which I spent chatting with a young guy by the name of Steve Thompson, a 2014(?) Henderson grad and someone I had previously spoken to on the circuit. At about 5:45, I started warming up. I ran a mile on the infield and stretched in the shade (in a little dugout under the stands). At about 6:20, I grabbed my hip number and made my way to the 100m start area, where I could do a few strides (20-30 meters) in the partial shade. The 400 was going off then. At 6:30, I made my way towards the start. We were lined up, as the last heat of the 400 concluded.

Despite my mental preparation of watching my best 800m run as a masters runner and visualizing my race, I don't believe I thought much about my race plan as we lined up. I was just trying to get my head around the two laps I had in front of me. I was lined up in position 4, although my hip number was 6; there were a couple of no-shows! And the gun went off. I found myself mid-pack by the 100m mark. I felt like almost too relaxed, maybe leaning forward too much, too. Hitting the 300m, from afar I saw 48 seconds on the clock. As I approached the 400m mark, I saw 64, then 65. I scarcely saw 66 as I passed the clock. This felt pretty easy. I felt inclined to pass someone on the turn, but I held back. I waited until the backstretch, then passed two people. I was now in second place and within 10m of the leader, some youngster. I looked down at my watch as I hit the 600m mark; it read 1:39. For a second, I wondered if I could uncork a 31 second last 200 in order to hit 2:10! The youngster would double his lead in a matter of meters, while another youngster would pass me with 70-80 meters to go, owing to his much stronger kick. 

With a seed time of 2:14, I managed 2:14.32. Not bad, I suppose.

My first 400m was 1:05.83; my second was 1:08.48. Broken into 200s, I hit about 32.4, 33.4, 33.7, and 34.7. I probably could have been a little more aggressive over the first 100, which would have probably lead to a 31.xx first 200. I had hoped I would have prepared myself better mentally for the last 200. The last 100 was slower than I had hoped. Were I to run this race under identical conditions, I would hope to drop a second off of each 200!

Wed, 6/26/24-Just warmed up. Ran a mile and stretched.  

gutted out

Tues, 6/25/24-Alison and Andrew came to SCH for an 8:00 workout Alison wanted to do in preparation for her big racing in the horizon: 3x400 at 800m race pace on 4 min rest. She was targeting 70 sec. Knowing I plan to k=compete on Thursday, I told her I'd run the first or last 200m of each effort. Andrew planned to do a 200 alongside her, then 300 alongside her, then 400. 

For the first and second efforts, I wound up pacing her on the second 200 of the first 400. 36-flat and 35-low, for 72 and 70 for Alison's two 400s. I told her I'd do the last one with her. She got out a bit harder than I expected, and we hit 33 at the 200. She then gutted out the last 200...to posting 67.5 (*same!)

Mon, 6/24/24-4.5M in 36:10.

smitten with their tries

Sun, 6/23-A group of us tried our luck at 4x200 in 95% of 400m race pace, followed by 4x150 in 100% of 400m race pace. 4:00 rest across the board. 

For a 56-sec 400, my targets were 29.9 for the 200s and 21.0 for the 150s.

John Curtis 

Chuck Frohich

John Noon

Nick Damalas (did most of the first and third 200)

For the 200s, John led, running the first 100 well under pace, perhaps 13-mid. He'd let up over the last 50m to post between 29.2 and 29.5 on his efforts. I found myself as far as 10m behind until the last 50m, where I would come within 2-5 meters. Nonetheless, my times were 29.9, 29.8, 29.7, 29.6. John seemed a bit spent after the 200s, although he kept at it. I led the 150s, posting 21.3 and 21.1 on the first two efforts. John stepped away, later explaining that his knee was giving him trouble and that it's become more common once he hits 1000m on the track. I continued with 21.1 and finished the workout off with 20.3. 

For their part, Chuck and John seemed smitten with their tries. 

I've registered for the West Chester Henderson meet this Thursday, in advance of Mid-Atlantic Championships next Sunday. My thought is to get in a 400 or 800 at the Henderson meet, then scratch that event at the Mid-Atlantic meet since the schedule won't really afford both.

http://www.chuckxc.com/Outdoor-T-F.html

Sat, 6/22-Mountain house. Took off.

Fri, 6/21-3.44M to fitness center...avg 8:15 pace. Lifted. .56M back home...avg 8:00 pace.

Easy run

Thurs, 6/20/24-

3.5M in 28:30.

I am still chasing the perfect Sit 'n Kick

Wed, 6/19/24

Met up with Alison for an 8:00am workout at the track. It was 75 degrees, but it felt warmer...and a bit humid.

Per my plan, I want to kick myself in high gear to start the summer with a bang. I decided to do Sit 'n Kick Reps to test my strength.  This workout, which is designed for a 2:00 800m high school runner, consists of 5x (400m @ 64 . . . rest 30-sec . . . 200m in 28), with a 1200m jog between sets. Since I am not able to run 800 meters in 2:00, I always modify the workout accordingly: 5 x (400m @ 68 . . . rest 60-seconds, 200m in 30), with a  1200m jog between sets in 9:00. The choice of targets 68 and 30 was proportional to the targets in the original workout, 64 and 28. In the past, even when I was stronger and faster, I'd wind up doing the 400s faster and not being able to transition properly to what were supposed to be even faster 200s. For example, I'd hit 64 but only manage 31, not 28. OR I'd hit 62, but do 150s in 21/22 rather than 200s. 

On this day, Alison would join me for the second 200m of my first four 400s and the first 100m of my first four 200s. 

The first 400 was lopsided, a 33-second first 200, followed by a 36-second 200... for an off-pace 69! (33/36). 60 second rest, then a 30-second 200! 1200 meter jog in 9:00.

The second 400 came in at 67-mid.  60 second rest. The 200 was 31-low.  I jogged 1200 meter in 9:00. 

I ran the third 400 in 67-mid, owing to a more balanced run of 33/34.  The 200 was another 31-low.  

My fourth 400 was another 68-low.  I rested 60 and then popped another 31-second 200. I walked and jogged 800m for 9:00.

And then there was my final 400. I wondered whether I had it in me to hit 68 and 30.  I did, per the workout!  68 (33/35), followed by a 30-low 200, owing to a negative split. 

So this workout went fairly well.  I am still chasing the perfect Sit 'n Kick workout, though. I'd like for the full set to be 68 and 30. Perhaps in better shape I might get to 66 and 29. (The next step after that would be 64 and 28. Haha. Wishful thinking!)

across the board

Tues, 6/18-

Cancun: 8:30 mile warm-up, stretch, 15:00 pre-set workout on treadmill, stretch, 4:00 half-mile cool down.

Mon, 6/17

Cancun: 7:30 mile warm-up, stretch, 12:00 1.5M, lift, 12:00 1.5M, stretch

Sun, 6/16

Cancun: 8:30 mile warm-up, stretch, 6x60 seconds or .18M (highest treadmill setting of 13.7, or 4:23 mile pace)...3 min rest btwn efforts, stretch

Sat, 6/15

Cancun: 8:30 mile warm-up, stretch, 12:00 1.5M, lift, 12:00 1.5M, stretch

Fri, 6/14

Cancun: 7:30 mile warm-up, stretch, 12:00 1.5M, lift, 12:00 1.5M, stretch

Thurs, 6/14

Took off. En route to Cancun

Wed, 6/13-

4x200 (30-mid), 4x150 (21-low/mid), 4x100 (13-low, with last one in 12.9). 3:00 rest across the board.

back home

Tues, 6/11/24-

2.2M in 17:40, lifted, .8M back home in 6:10.

Thinking about

6/10/24-6:30 am run. 4.5M in 35:10.

Thinking about the following for Wednesday, 6/12/24: 

4x200 in 30.xx

4x150 in 21.xx

4x100 in 13.xx

a nice treat!

6/9/24-

Today's workout was 3 x 200m at 800m race pace (32' for me) with 3 minutes' rest between reps and 6-minute walk (or 800m jog) after last rep. 

Then, complete 2-3 sets of 300m at 800m race pace (48' for me), 2 minute rest, 200m at 400m race pace (28' for me)), with 6 minutes walk/jog between sets  

Actuals: 32-mid, 32-high, 32-low. 49-low, 28-low; 48-mid, 28-flat.

This workout was a nice treat!

The gang seemed to enjoy it! See the pics.

Time caught up to me

Sat, 6/8/24-

Short run of1.2M to fitness, lifted, even shorter run home (.8M). Time caught up to me as I readied for graduation.

Sunday workout possibility:

3 x 200m at 800m race pace (32') with 3 minutes' rest between reps and 6-minute walk (or 800m jog) after last rep. 

Then, complete 2-3 sets of (300m at 800m race pace (48), 2 minute rest, 200m at 400m race pace (28)), with 6 minutes walk/jog between sets  

Fri, 6/7/24-

Took off

Thurs, 6/6/24-

4.2M. Started off at 8:30, finished up in 7:45. Easy effort.

60 seconds' rest

Wed, 6/5/24- On tap today was 8x200 in 32 with 60 seconds' rest. Alison and Andrew would join me for this 6:30 am workout. Alison's goal pace was 34, while Andrew's was 38. 

Effort 1: 32-mid

Effort 2: 32-mid

Effort 3: 32-mid

Effort 4: 32-mid

Effort 5: 32-low

Effort 6: 32-low

Effort 7: 31-high

Effort 8: 30-mid

 

A few similar or identical workouts, including the 60 seconds' rest, are documented in this blog and reproduced here:

Ex:

-Went to Hillsborough's track for 200s.  The plan was 8x200 with 60 seconds' rest, with the goal 32.5, or 2:10 800m pace. I was unassisted by the youth LAX practice on and off the field and track, complete with parents lingering in and around the track. 

I made some adjustments after running in lane 4 for the first three: I ran the 200s in reverse direction using the empty backstretch, finishing at my usual start line.

31-low
32-mid
32-high
31-high
33-low
32-mid
32-mid
31-mid

Ex.

I was inspired by a 2015 Facebook post from Peter Brady in which he reported doing 8x200 in 28-low with a 200-meter jog between runs. A consistent sub-2:00 guy, he'd break 2:00 soon afterwards. He also ran 1:58 the prior year and the year after.  

I'd try this workout, but with a goal pace of 31.  
 
32-low
32-mid
32-mid
31-mid
32-low
32-mid
30-low
30-low

Ex.

I was inspired by a recent Facebook post from Peter Brady in which he reported doing 12x200, the first four at 2:04 pace, the second four at 2:00 pace, and the last four at about 1:54 pace. From what I remember, he took about 1:45 between each effort and 2:30 between each set. 

I warmed up and stretched at the Y, then headed to Hillsborough HS's track.

In a similar spirit, I took on 12x200 with a 200-meter/2:00 jog between efforts, with no additional rest between sets. Instead, I did a standing rest between sets. My idea was to run at 2:10 pace for the first set, 2:05 pace for the second set, and 2:00 pace for the third set.

Set 1: 32-mid, 32-high, 32-low, 32-low (2:10 pace)
Set 2: 30-mid, 31-high, 31-low, 31-mid (2:05 pace)
Set 3: 29-mid, 31-low (oops), 30-high, 29-low (On account of the 31, this series was 2:01 pace)

I will take these "almosts" for now.

 Tues, 6/4/24-1.2M in 9:45; lifted; 1.2M in 9:35

Mon, 6/3/24-4.5M in 35:35

Sun, 6/2/24-The Elliott Denman NJ International Track & Field Meet. Spent the night before in NJ. Left Hillsborough at a bit after 12:00. Arrived at about 1:20. After a while, the meet began to drag; it was running behind schedule by 20 minutes, then 30, then 40. I tried to time my warm up for the 400, adjusting as necessary. When it was time to compete, I learned that Mark Williams would not be running in lane 5, to my immediate right. Instead he sent a representative...from another team. I also saw that Kurt Carter, in lane 6, would not be going full-throttle, having competed in the 100 and 110HH. This meant I would not be pushed or pulled to the sub-57 time I desired. I got out okay, making up the stagger on the field of five or six. I managed 57.04, winning by over a second. (Someone in a subsequent masters heat posted a faster time, but he was a kid (9th grade), not a masters runner.) I tried to stay loose for the 200, scheduled for about 90 minutes later. Running in lane 3 with John in lane 3, I got a flaccid start. However, I closed pretty well, hitting 26.02. I wasn't able to overtake the two youngsters in the heat. I almost broke a barrier in each event. I should've been greedier. That's okay. I am good with these times for now. I will take these "almosts" for now.